Coin-controlled apparatus



` 1,632 j June 2l, 1927. G' F HIGGINS ,838

` COIN' CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25. 1921 z sheets-sheet 1 G. F. HIGGINS GOIN GDNTROLLED APPARATUS und Nov. 25. 1921.

`June 21, 1927.

nve'nToT. George F Higgins.

byzmwf/QM n Anya.

Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGEVF. HIGGINS, F MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS.

i COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

Application led November 25, 1921. Serial IIa-517,499.

This invention relates toa coin-controlled apparatus and has for one of its objects to provide a novel apparatus involving a plurality ot devices to be independently. actuated, and a common actuator' for actuating the devices selectively by theinsertion ot coins in different. coin slots. rlhe-construction is such that normally the common actuator is inoperative to actuate lany of the devices but it becomes operative rto actuate 'any device when a coin is inserted in the slot corresponding to said device,l there being a'coin slot foreach oi' ,the devices to be actuated. y

The invention is capable of a wide variety ot uses and is particularly useful when embodied in a vending machine as in such case it may be used in connection with a vending machine arranged to vend a plurality of different articles. In such case there. ywill be a coin slot for each article to be vended and a ,single actuator for effecting a release of anyone of the articles dependant on the slot or slots in which the coins have been insorted. Onefconvenient way otarranging a device embodying the invention is in the form ot a cabinet having a `plurality of compartments cach adapted to contain an article to be vended and each Ahaving an opening through which the article is delivered and which is closed by a door or closure. Each door has its own lock for locking it closed and the common actuator, which is normally inoperative to release any ot the locks, will become operative to release any lock by the linsertion ot' a coin in the slot corresponding to said lock.

Another feature of the .invention relates to means by which .a properly authorized person may release all of the doors orclosures simultaneously whenever it isdesired to get access to the various compartments for relillingthem or -for other purposes.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings some selected embodiments -thereoil which will now be described after which thenovel yteatures will be pointed out in the appended claims.

' line 2 2, Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a section on .the line 13-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4L is a View showing a different embodiment of the invention.

a closure or door 3.

view. n I

Fig. 6 isa view of a door arranged to swing in veither direction.

In its y'broad aspect my invention ycompreliends a plurality ot' devices to be actuated, a common actuator by which cachot the devices may be operated, and an arrangement 'whereby the actuator is normally inoperative but becomes operative to .selectively actuate the devices by inserting coins in various coin slots, there `being one coin slot foreach device to be actuated.

Asjstated above while .the invention is capable of a wide variety of usesI regard it or especialadvantage when used in connection with vending machine and when used 'in this way I propose to yprovide a vendingl machine yhaving a plurality of compartments each adapted 'to hold 'some article 'to be vended, and 'to provide each compartment with an openingthrough which the article may be delivered, a closure for'the opening, 'and a lock to lock the closure closed. Each compartment hasassociated therewith acoin slot and the arrangement is such that when a coin is deposited in any slot and the common actuator is operated, the coin forms an Fig. is an enlargedftransverse sectional .operative connection between the actuator and the loch of the compartment corresponding to the coin slot which has received the coin so that when the actuator' is operated the "lock for this compartment will be released.

There is normally no operative connection between the actuator and each lock 'so that unless a coin 'has been deposited in any slot the 4operation of the actuator will lhave no effect upon the lock.

In the drawings I have shown at l a cabinet having a plurality ot compartments 2V each having an open `front that is closed by The compartments are herein shown as arranged in two pairs thus making two vertical tiers of doors or closures 3. Each door is pivoted at its outer edge as shown yat 4t. If desi-red 'each door may have .a sight opening 5 therein which is closed by suitable transparent material so that the customer may see the character ot the articles in each compartment.

comoproper denomination.v

Each'dcor is normally locked by a suitable locking device and 1n the construction Associ- -ated with each compartment is a com slot indicated at 6 and Vfor the reception `of a herein shown theloclr for each door comprises an arm 7 extending from the inner face of the door and a pivoted spring-pressed member 8 normally engaging the arm.

A single actuator is employed common to all the latches, but which is normally disconnected from the latches so that the operation of the actuator will not release any of the latches. Means are provided whereby when a coin is deposited in any one of theslotsG, then such coin will form an operative connection between the actuator and the corresponding latch so that when the actuator is operated the latch will be released thereby to open the corresponding door. The movement of the actuator, however, has no etl'ect upon the other latches, so that the latches may be selectively released by this actuator merely by dropping coins in selected"slots. `The coin slots 6 for each vertical tier of doors open into a "vertical passageway or chute 9 formed between two vertically-extending plates 10 that are secured to the ,front of the cabinet and are "spaced apart a proper distance to receive the coin.

There are two such passages or chutes 9, one for each vertical row of coin slots and both passages open at their lower end into a coin-receiving'drawer 11. Each 4latch l8 is pivotally connected to the upright plates 10 as shown at 12 and the rear end of each latch is formed with a` tail portion 13 which is provided with a bevelled face 14 a'nd` whenthe latch is in normal position said bevelled face is so positioned that there is insufficient space between the point thereof and the front of the cabinet to permit the coin to pass so that when a' coin 15 is dropped into the chute 9 through a slot 6 it will be retained on the bevelled surface 14 as shown in Fig. 3. Each latch is acted upon by a spring 17 which yieldingly holds it in its operative position.

`The actuator which is common to all the latches for releasing them is herein shown as a rod 18 situated `within the housing and extending vertically, said rod being preferably placed between the twoy pairs of upright plates 10. This rod is provided with a handle or projection 19 extending through a slot 20 in the front of the cabinet-and by which the rod may be depressed. The rod also is provided with latch-releasing extensions 21, there being one such extension for each coin slot, said extensions extending through slots in the inner plate 10V and `the ends of the extensions operating in the spaces 9. Each extension 21 is so placed that it is normally situated above the coin -slot 6 and is in a position to engage any coin which has been deposited in said slot when the actuator is moved downwardly. These extensions 21 are also so positioned in front of the portions 13 ot the latches so that when there are no coins in any passageways or chutes) the downward movement of the eX- tensions does not operate any ofthe latches.y

14 of the tail 13 ofthe latchthereby swing-` ing the latch downwardly and releasing 1t Jfrom the arm 7. This will unlock the door and rovide access to the compartment. It will e understood that some usual spring device will be employed to open each closure as'it is released as is common in devices of this nature.` Y A It will, therefore, beseen that I have provided a common actuator for releasing all the latchesandhave also provided an arrangement whereby the actuator is inoperative to release any latchuntil a coin has been inserted inl a-selected slot, at which time the actuator becomes operative to release the corresponding latch without, howover, being operative to release any of the other' -latc ies. With my device, therefore, the latches can be selectively released from the common actuator by merely selecting the slot into `which the coins are to be deposited.

I havealso authorized person may release all the latches simultaneously and thereby gain access to all compartments whenever it is desired to refill the same. y

In Figs. 3 and 5 vthis is accomplished by a member 22 `in the form of a verticallyextending rod situated in the rear ot the actuator 18 and provided with arms 23 thatV extend underneaththerezrr ends 24 of the latches. When the releasing rod 22 is raised lll) . Y 10c provided means whereby an the arms 23 will operate all of the latches and thereby release `them all. This releasing member 224 is normally inaccessible but access toit can be obtained-through the opening in which the money drawer 11 is received. This money drawer which receives the coins from the chutes is normally locked but can' be opened by any authorized person, and when the drawer is removed then thel operator may insert `his linger in the opening and press upwardly a pivotal plate V42 that bears against the lower end of the rod 22 thereby to effect `the release of the latches. I may, if desired, utilize the actuator' 18 for-this purpose of releasing all the latches simultaneously. viding said actuator with rearwardly-ex- This can be done by prolas tending a`rms`25, the ends of which are situated beneath the outer ends 24 of the latches.

In this case the actuator will be moved downwardly from its neutral position to selectively release any latch and will be moved upwardly from this position to release all the latches simultaneously. To prevent an unauthorized person from thus releasing all the latches simultaneously I propose to em-.

' raised.

If desired, I may make each closure with its arm 7 so positioned that the closure may be used either on the right hand side or the left hand side of the device, the change from one side to the otherinvolving merely reversing the door. Y

In the above description and in the claims I have used the term coin as referring to the article which is used to make an operative connection between the actuator and the latch. I have used thisfterm, however, in a generic sense and intend it to cover not only coins such as are used for money but also any specially made coin or check which is designed for use in slot machines.

I claim.

l. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a plurality of compartments each having an opening, of a closure for each opening, a coin chute, coin slots, one for each closure opening into said chute, a pivoted U-shapcd member for each opening, one arm of each member constituting alocking latch for the corresponding closure and the other arm extending into the coin chute, each closure having a latch-engaging part with which the latch engages, a single actuating member constructed to act against any coin deposited in a slot and resting against one arm of one of said U-shaped members thereby to operate through said coin to release the corresponding latch. y

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of compartments, one above the other, each being open at the front, of a closure for each opening, two parallel plates extending at right angles to the plane of the closure and forming between them a coin chute, a plurality of coin slots. one for each closure leading to the chute, a pivoted latch lfor locking each closure, latch-engaging means for each latch', each latch having an extension between the plates and in the path of a coin deposited in the corresponding slot, whereby such acoin when deposited will be supported on the extension, and an actuator having a plurality lof arms, one for each coin slot, each arm being situated' above itsy coin slot,'whereby when the actuator is moved a coin in any slotl will be engaged by one of the arms and will become operative to release the corresponding latch.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of compartments one above the other and each having an open front, of a closure for each opening having latch-engaging means, a plate parallel with a side wall of the compartment and forming therewith va coin chute, a plurality of coin slots leading to the chute, a latch for each closure, each latch being kpivoted to the wall ofthe compart-` ment and situated within the compartment, each latch also having an extension situated exterior to said side wall and betweenthe latter and said plate and normally occupying the path of a coin deposited in the cor-` responding coln slot, and a reciprocating actuator constructed to act against a coin deposited in any slot vthereby to release the corresponding latch.

4;. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination vwith a plurality of compartments one above the other and each having an open front, of a closure for each opening having latch-engaging means,.a plate parallel with a side wall of the compartment and forming therewith a coin chute, a plurality of coin slots leading to said'chute', a latch for each closure, each latch being pivoted to the wall of the compartment andsituated within the compartment, each latch also having an eX- tension situated between said plate and the compartment wall and normally occupying the path of a coin deposited in the corresponding coin slot, a reciprocating actuator constructed to act against a coin deposited inV any slot thereby to release the corresponding latch, and'other means to release all the latches sin'iultaneously.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

anonce F. HIGGINS. 

